: Milan comfortably defeated Lecce 3–0 in the Round of 32.
Before their January clash, the teams met twice earlier in the 2025/26 campaign:
: Substitute Niclas Füllkrug ended a long scoring drought by netting a 76th-minute header, just three minutes after coming on for Christian Pulisic. The goal was assisted by a precise cross from Alexis Saelemaekers .